The countryside surrounding Grazalema is now in full spring bloom with a myriad of wild flowers showing their best after the rain in March and April but also the streets of Grazalema are well worth a stroll around.
Many people in Grazalema take great pride in caring for their patios and balconies. Streets filled with colour! Beautiful!
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A bit of news from the Grazalema Guide!… Here in Grazalema, international tourism seems to be picking up again with quite a few French, German and Dutch visitors exploring the village and walking trails. Very few UK visitors still, but hopefully this will be solved once borders open properly again and covid restrictions become more relaxed.
Its still really odd not seeing the groups of walkers setting off in the mornings for the peaks of the Sierra de Grazalema or neighbouring villages. Tourism has changed here over the covid years with much more day visitors on motorbikes, cyclists and day visitors. There has also been a huge increase in campers vans parked up for short stays.
Out in the countryside, almond trees in blossom are the most noticeable which adorn the hillsides and fields, varying from almost white to a shocking pink. The Paperwhite narcissus, Branched asphodels and Broad-leaved iris as each can create swathes of colour across pastures. Even the much smaller flowered Andaluz storksbill and Field marigolds can cover a large area in pink or golden yellow blooms. Migratory birds are returning and spring is definately around the corner.
Regular visitors to Grazalema will notice a few changes in the Hotels, bars and restaurants as the guys running the Kiboka burger and sports bar have now taken over the Simancon restaurant after the previous owners retired. The Torreón restaurant has new owners as does the bar Travesía. There is a new burger joint opening in the old Contrastes bar next month and Rumores bar is now removing the bakery area and replacing it with a new eating area. The hotel Peñon Grande has been closed for a while now and I believe its up for sale!
Here is a bit of a roundup from our other tourist infomation projects in this fantastic corner of Western Andalucia
Wildside Holidays
Spring is on its way and it is great to see bookings for the coming season are on the up and up. Hopefully very soon we can put this awful covid event behind us and get on with what we are good at, which is, of course, guiding people across some of the most stunning natural areas of Spain.
Traffic to the home page of Wildside Holidays is now exceeding over 4000 unique visitors each month and (not surprising to us) some of the wildlife information pages are getting upwards of 20,000 hits a month. (Especially the life cycles of the processionary caterpillar and various reptile pages). So, the plan for the coming months is to continue the ongoing project of Iberian wildlife articles as well as some info on the Vias Verdes of Spain and finishing all the entries for the Global Geoparks.
Sustainable rural and wildlife tourism in Spain is a major key to wildlife and habitat protection. There are many studies showing how wildlife tourism can impact local economies, habitats and the wildlife it contains in a very positive way. Read more about Wildside Holidays here: https://wildsideholidays.co.uk/
Ronda Today
Ronda Today continues to be the largest and most informative English language information website for the town of Ronda. A walking tour of Ronda is a pleasant and enjoyable way to spend a lazy few hours, almost everything you could want to see in Ronda is no more than 200-300 metres from the new bridge. See the homepage here: https://www.rondatoday.com/
Ronda, too, has suffered greatly from the covid crisis. Hotels,bars and restaurants have changed hands, reduced staff or simply closed. That said Ronda continues to be an important bucket list destination for foreign travellers and our site reaches more than 20,000 unique visitors each month. Traffic and hotel bookings on the site a rising steadily so the outlook is pretty good. Over the next few months we’ll be editing and reviewing certain pages to make sure all the information is current and up to date.
The Caminito del Rey
The Caminito del Rey website has continued to grow in both traffic and content. During the last four months we have sold over 20,000 euros worth of tickets via the affiliate adverts.
When the official website stops working or selling tickets, sales from our site continue, helping people to get and entry ticket for this very popular destination. Ticket sales for the Caminito del Rey in 2022 look to be record breakers for us so our recent affiliation with Get Your Guide continues to be a great success. Guided tours for the Caminito del Rey can be found here: https://www.caminodelrey.es/get-your-guide-for-the-caminito-del-rey/
Recently the operation of the Caminito del Rey was taken over by a new company and so hopefully the official website will be improved as well as the general infrastructure such as local connecting roads, bus services, the interpretation and carparking areas. Time will tell but you can be sure any news and changes will be published first in English at https://www.caminodelrey.es
The Iberia Nature Forum
The forum is developing into a nice English language resource for information about the wildlife of Spain and there are quite a few interesting subjects ranging from the VCF Tracking Iberian black vultures, the bearded vulture 2022 Andalucia captive breeding season, A petition to stop illegal water extraction in Doñana and the collapse of the endemic lizard Podarcis pityusensis on the island of Ibiza.
Here are a few other topics at the Iberia Nature Forum. Please feel free join in with the conversatons and don’t forget to share with your family and friends across your social networks!
Interesting to see that Wednesday the 5th of December 2021, the new law about animals (especially domestic) was implemented… “los animales son considerados en España seres sintientes” is a big part of this as it means they are no longer classified as a piece of furniture but a sentient being and his comes with a lot of legal rights that a person has (us also being sentient?) 🙂 ….. https://iberianatureforum.com/forums/topic/new-laws-on-pets-in-spain/
The company Nueva Pescanova is to invest over €50 million in a plant to produce 3,000 tonnes of octopus per year, equivalent to 10% of the catches of the cephalopod made each year by the Spanish fleet. There is a lot of opposition to this plan from many wildlife groups. https://iberianatureforum.com/forums/topic/first-octopus-farm-to-open-in-spain/
The Dolmen La Giganta – Dolmen el Chopo (after the name of the farm where it is situated an chopo is the poplar tree in English). It is well worth seeking out for the fantastic views and fascinating history of the Sierra de Grazalema
Location of the Dolmen el Gigante / Chopo in the Sierra de Grazalema
Dolmens are stone built burial chambers or tombs. They are created by standing huge stones on their edges to create the basic form and then these are capped with massive slabs. Soil would have been used to totally cover the entire area, but this has washed away over the centuries.
This dolmen is a longer structure, forming a corridor for multiple burials. Another name for such tombs such as these is Megalith, which refers to the huge stone slabs used to cap the roof. Many are dated to the Neolithic period around 4000 to 3000 BC.
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Findings within the better preserved tombs include hand thrown pottery, stone tools such as flint axes, beads and other ornaments. They are often positioned on a high plateaux or places surrounded by tremendous scenery.
Dolmen La Giganta is a long chambered dolmen, it still has several support stones and an impressive top stone in place, quite amazing when you consider its age and exposed position. It is believed that this funerary monument may date from the end of the Neolithic period. Standing alongside it one can wonder at how much time and effort went into quarrying, transporting and lifting such enormous stones with only the most basic of tools.
How much the people of that time must have valued the purpose of creating such a monument and placing gifts beside the deceased. They have chosen an amazing site as from here there are fabulous views towards Sierra de las Nieves and the foothills of the Sierra de Grazalema.
How to get there
The Dolmen del Chopo is situated between Ronda and Grazalema, indeed it is very close to the main Ronda to Jerez road but as there are no sign posts for it so most people are unaware of its presence.
From Ronda drive towards Jerez de la Frontera. Turn off the A374 onto the A372 signposted towards “Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema” just before the “Puerto de Montejaque“.
After 1km, you will see a tight loop in the road with a large white farm house and building housing goats.
Immediately after this the road forks take the left curve towards Grazalema and straight away on the left there is sufficient area to park your car.
The road coming from Ronda directionDon’t park here as it will block the entrance to other propertiesWalk past the house on the leftFollow the fenceMuddy fieldDolmen el chopo sierra de grazalemaDolmen el chopo sierra de grazalemaDolmen el chopo sierra de grazalema
From here walk back past the farm house and goat shed which is now on your left and after the road curves to the left, turn right along a dirt track that has a chain across the entrance.
You will pass an old farm on the left and continue uphill to the right onto a plateau with arable fields and scenic distant views of a mountain ridge.
Follow the track to the left and now there is arable land on your right and a steep bank with eucalyptus trees on the left.
Ahead you can see an olive grove, we are aiming for the far side of this. As you reach the far end, you will see a gated driveway, and from here you can now spot the dolmen.
Turn right at the end of the fence, walking at the edge of the arable land…caution. If it has rained recently this field becomes impassable due to heavy mud!
You cannot get right up to the dolmen as it is on the other side of the wire fence.
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The giants of western Andalucia a tale from the olden days
Once upon a time, in the land that is now Western Andalucia, things were different. Full of bear and wolf, bison, elephant and perhaps other creatures that have long since been forgotten in the mists of time….Giants! Don’t be silly I hear you say.
Giants live for a long time it is said. More than one hundred times the lives of a man but as the world has changed and the old souls have dwindled, all we have now are childrens bedtime stories and ruins in the dirt….But it wasn’t always so….
Many thousands of years ago in the hills and mountains of what is now known as the Sierra de Grazalema a giant was born. His mother named him Treow after the huge oak trees that had been planted by his father in the mountains and as he grew, his father taught him how to tend the countryside. For giants were not the evil killing creatures that some fairytale stories would have you believe. No, the giants kept the mountains tall and proud. They planted the mighty oaks and graceful willows to hold the soil and they tended the valleys down to the sea protecting the land as guardians.
Growing up as most giants did he knew little of what lay outside his fathers domain. He learned and tended and protected the trees but When Treow was one thousand four hundred and fifty years old his thoughts turned to a land of his own and maybe even a wife. A place to tend, a lady giant to love and children of his own one day to leave the land in their care when he was gone.
Many years later, times were changing in the world. Giants were few and far between, Killed by the smaller greedy humanna for their supposed treasure and persecuted out of fear and ignorance….Now, torch lights in the night signified it was the end of the peaceful time in the valleys of the snowy mountains. The attack was well planned and at the end lay dead two gentle giants that had only ever made good deeds. The last words to Treow from his father as he fell to axe and arrow protecting the body of his wife were “Run Treow!, run!… and Treow ran as the trees fell before him. he ran in his despair and rage and fear. Why did this happen? Why? We only ever tended the land and gave the treasure freely to all… Why? he cried… What is this madness? At last Treow went to seek Willow who lived to the east. maybe she could help him find the answers to his desperate questions….Many days later, half blinded, starving and frightened he fell to the ground and slept…
In the high valleys between the towering peaks there lived a peaceful race of humanaa… Since time immemorial they had helped a lone giantess tend the slopes, planting trees and keeping the water flows clear…the valley was beautiful, teeming with life and love, protected and guarded as it was by such beings… They had heard of the plight of Treow and sent messengers to Willow and as they knew she would, she went to him and held him and brought him to her home fixing wounds and hurts….As giants do, they became friends and worked together with the help of the community around them…. More trees were planted and mountains were shaped. Rivers were moulded and the land became so full of diversity that even the giants themselves were left breathless at the wonder before them…..
After 10 generations of humanna had passed and the world had once again began to speed up it was time for Treow and Willow to leave this world and pass to a different place…No children to leave their land to, they placed it into the care of the humanna elders trusting them to protect and nourish the land… The community built two huge stone chambers with standing stones and lintels on two hills and the bodies of the giants were laid, Treow in one and Willow in the other… To face each other and hold the mountains together in binding love for eternity…….
And today? In our world…Thousands of years have passed and you can still see the ruined dolmens of the giants at El Chopo and on the other side of the valley you can see the even more ruined dolmen of “The Giant”…. There they were and here we are standing in this incredible scenery where their treasure is here for us all to see…
This short footpath called “Llano del Campo” is close to the village of Benamahoma and leads you through mixed Mediterranean woodland. It is dominated by evergreen and deciduous oaks and takes anything from around one to two hours to walk, depending on how inquisitive you are. 🙂
Birds calling from the trees include woodpeckers, nuthatches, jays, firecrests, long-tailed tits and treecreepers with hoopoes during the summer months and griffon vultures plus eagles soaring through the open skies above.
The path is comfortably shaded through the heat of summer and verdant through the winter/ spring.
First two gates – Llanos del campo in the Sierra de Grazalema
The entrance to this walk can be found on the road between Grazalema and Benamahoma, this is the A 372. Pull off at km marker 37 (2 km from Benamahoma).
The Car Park and first gate- Llanos del campo in the Sierra de Grazalema
The site is obvious as there is a fenced off field with an area marked out for football and a small building (whose shaded area is very popular with nesting swallows in the spring).
There is ample parking at this recreational area. (The area will be busiest on weekends, so if you have a choice aim to go on a week day.) Go through the largest metal gates and head diagonally uphill and away from the road across this play area / cattle grazing pasture. As you go past the first oak trees there is another, smaller gate to pass through.
Second gate- Llanos del campo in the Sierra de Grazalema
Now you are in the shade of the woods on a path that meanders through the rugged rocks. This first stretch climbs over fairly rough terrain as the water erodes this path during storms. In summer time the dappled shade is very welcome and during the winter notice how green the rocks and trees are with their covering of mosses and ferns.
The undergrowth is mainly lentisc, purple phlomis and gorse with rambling plants such as dutchman’s pipe, smilax and periwinkle.
In the spring there may be a variety of orchids on display!
Rocky path – Llanos del campo in the Sierra de Grazalema
The path becomes wider and levels out as you approach an old derelict farm building on your right and left handside. Surrounded by large girthed oak trees, this is the highest point and from here you descend gently to a junction onto a partially cobbled path.
From here continue to the left heading downhill – but first, a short detour can prove interesting. If you go straight across this junction onto the narrowest path it leads you through gorse bushes etc to a water trough provided for domestic livestock.
Looking into the trough and you may see fire salamanders in their earliest stages, they are like brown tadpoles with visible gills. As adults these nocturnal reptiles are an amazing yellow and black colour. During the warmth of summer the surrounding damp patches are frequented by butterflies and bees.
Return to the main path and head downhill. Here the plant life changes slightly and now include Strawberry trees, Laurustinus, Stinking iris, Dorycnium and Honeysuckle.
Great views in the Llano del Campo in the Sierra de Grazalema
As this path approaches the main road you should take the narrow rock-edged path to the left which goes through a small gate and then ascends slightly under the oak trees. This brings you onto the pasture where you began, head for the main gated entrance back to your vehicle.
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Walking in the Spanish countryside is an incredibly rewarding experience. Whether it is to enjoy the stunning scenery, searching for particular plants or enjoying photography and birdlife, the Sierras offer something for everyone. Even if you are familiar with the area there are still some essentials in order to be properly prepared for a hike into the hills so here is a bit about walking in the Spanish countryside. Safety and advice.
Basics
Compass
Map or guide
Basic first aid kit containing bandage, gauze pads, plasters and an antiseptic cream.
Altough you may want to “get away” completely you should take a mobile phone with you. After all it only would be used in the rare event of an emergency and the rest of the time it can be turned off. Mobile coverage may also be weak in the mountains
Always tell at least one person where you will be walking and roughly what time you expect to be back
112 the emergency number
If you get into difficulties or have have an emergency whilst out walking and require the police, fire brigade, or an ambulance then the number to call ( in Spain) is 112. You don’t need to dial an area code, and the operator should be able to speak a range of different languages. If you have a disability that makes speaking on the phone difficult then you can also send an SMS text message to 112
Carry plenty of food and water. Food for energy is important not only to keep your stomach happy but also your mind. If your brain is lacking in essential sugars you cannot make correct decisions for your safety. Healthy foods such as nuts, fruit, muesli bars, (some chocolate) and sandwiches are a better type of food to take walking.
Wearing comfortable walking shoes or boots is important, especially when tackling difficult terrain. They are designed for comfort and safety and if looked after will last for many years. In spring you may start off walking in good weather conditions, but a gain in altitude of a few hundred meters and it will be a different story. Normally a medium weight sweater and a light wind/rain proof jacket should be sufficient.
“Ordinance survey” type maps in Spain are not updated on a regular basis. Dirt tracks and trails that are marked on the maps may not have been maintained. Often the route is over-grown, ploughed up, or sometimes a fence has been erected across it. I would recommend that you don’t rely on just one track or trail for your route, look for options before you set out on your walk, as dead-ends can be really frustrating. Some tracks and goat trails may not be marked on the maps. You can normally find local walking maps and guides in most towns visitor centres or ask at your hotel or guest house for up to date local information.
Online maps and guides.
Websites like All trails and Wikiloc have become very popular over the last few years and it is likely that you will find a route in the area that you are visiting published. Remember, though, that in many cases the routes published are individual experiences by the website users who have only walked the route once. (See paragraph 3 above!)
Especially in summer, it is a good idea to start a walk in early morning or evening. Try to finish a morning walk by 13.00 at the latest and an evening walk before dark.
Shorts or lightweight trousers (to avoid scratches on your legs) and a t-Shirt or shirt with collar keeps you cool and the sun off your neck. A hat is important, even though it may be hot it’s better than getting heat stroke. (A woven grass hat allows more air through). You may be tempted to use open footwear, however proper boots or shoes offer more support and comfort and safety.
High factor sun block is recommended. When you are out walking for several hours a slight burn on the shoulders, arms or behind the knees can rub on your clothing. Always carry extra sun block to top up after a while as sweat will wear it off.
Take as much water as you and your group can carry, especially if you are not sure how long you will be out walking. Take regular sips of water rather than drinking a lot every hour. Take advantage of any natural springs to cool off your head and arms only drinking it if there is a notice clearly stating it is safe to drink.
During the winter months dressing in layers is better than wearing one thick sweater or fleece. Carry a waterproof jacket in case of rain. Take a spare pair of socks, a woolly hat, scarf & gloves. It is best to treat your walking shoes or boots with a waterproofing agent the day before a walk.
Carry enough water for the duration of your walk. You may not feel thirsty while you are walking but dehydration still occurs in cold, dry conditions. Past a certain point it is difficult to re-hydrate your body.
Meeting the local guard dog on a walk
While walking in the Spanish countryside you will more than likely pass by a farm or two. Some people can be put off by the idea of a dog lurking behind a barn waiting to pounce on the “happy wanderer”. If you approach a farm expecting to meet a dog it tends to take the shock out of the “bark”. A lot of bigger dogs will be tied up, if not you must be confident and stand your ground.
If the dog starts to advance stamp your foot and shout “FUERA”, which means away or get out. Repeating this as you walk past their territory usually works quite well, if you still feel a bit un-nerved pretend to pick up a small rock while shouting “FUERA”. If you are still not sure about passing through the dog’s territory, find another way around the farm. Always walk away with confidence NEVER RUN. More often than not, if you show no fear and use an aggressive tone in your voice they will loose interest in you as you leave their territory.
In short, whatever time of year you walk in the mountains
Wear the correct clothing and footwear
Always carry plenty of water
Make sure at least one person knows where you are walking
Carry first-aid kit and know some basic first – aid techniques.
Have a great time walking in the Spanish countryside.
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